Where the Sidewalk Cracks
by mrenae12
Summary: Ruthie Allen hasn't had a "normal" teenage life. Her father left before she was born, her mother dies of cancer, her best friend leaves her in the dust, and she is being raise bye her three older brothers. Life may be hard, but which path will she choose?
1. Hello always ends with a BAM

"Heads up," a voice called from afar.

I looked to see who said it, but before I knew it I was on the ground dumbstruck.

"Are you okay?" An unfamiliar voiced asked.

"Do I look okay?" I asked while the person helped me get off the ground.

"Oh I think someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning," the guy said trying to not laugh.

"Well maybe you should say 'Watch out' instead of 'Heads up', because when you say 'Heads up' most people look up," I furiously said dusting myself off from the ruff.

"Yeah and most of those people are morons," he said cockily.

"You know what? I-"I cut myself off when I looked at who I was arguing with.

It was Lucas Baker, or best known as the ALLSTAR Quarter Back, at Indian Creek High School.

"Are you okay?" He cautiously asked.

Before I could answer, I felt dizzy and fell over into unconsciousness.

"Ruthie? Ruthie can you hear me?" A gentle voiced asked.

I opened my eyes slowly, because the light wherever I was, was annoyingly bright.

"Ruthie?" The voice asked again.

I looked to the right where I heard the voice, it was Nurse McMan.

"Can you try and sit up for me?" She asked in the most nourishing voice a person could possibly hear.

I started to sit up and I could feel the blood rushing away from my head making me light headed.

"Here is another ice pack for your head," she said handing me a cold pack.

"Okay," I mumbled.

"I will be back in a few minutes to come and check on, but for right now keep this on your head, and your brother, Gavin said he will be here in about an hour to pick you up, because he got stuck at work," Mrs. McMan said.

"Okay," I said trying to smile, but I was in too much pain to use my face muscles.

When she left, I saw a familiar figure sitting in a chair across from me with his face buried in his face hiding his deep dark brown eyes.

The golden brown, surfer hair draped over his tanned fingers. His muscles were flexed with tension, and his legs were tucked under the chair too keep them out of the way, because alone his legs were four feet on his 6 foot 5 inches body with crisply toned muscles.

"Hey. L-Lucas, I-I'm so-sorry for yelling a-at you," I stuttered over my words.

"Well it was my fault. I should have yelled 'Watch out' instead of 'Heads up,'" He said with a grin so small, but noticeable.

"I was just angry. I'm just an angry person, but you probably already knew that," I said trying to roll my eyes.

"You're not an angry person, you just have your moments, like we all do. You have been through so much and you are one of the sanest people in the world. I mean if I was in your position, I don't know if I would be able to handle it," he said looking at his hands.

"Yeah, well too much has happened to me. If my dad leaving to live with his new wife and his other daughter, right before I was born, my mom passing away about a year ago, which meant living with my three older brothers and losing my best friend is sane, then everyone else should be as sane as I am," I emphasized on the losing the friend part.

"Well your ex-best friend was a jerk to you, and I bet they hope you could accept their apology," he said bringing his head up slowly.

"Hm. I don't know if I could. He went from being just my best friend, to most popular person in school and left his best friend, being me, in the dust. I mean he never trusted me, and that slut girlfriend of his cheated on him, and I told him, and then he blew his top. So I don't know if I could deal with that," I said looking in a different direction, so I wouldn't have to see his face.

"Well if he could go back and change what he did, I bet he would have. He never meant to hurt you in any way, shape or form," he solemnly said.

"He failed at that. Plus, no one wants to be my friend, because he doesn't want to be my friend. Now the only true person I can talk to is my brother, and he's not even that trustworthy," I said trying to keep tears from pouring out of my eyes.

"I know he is sorry, because he wouldn't have hit you in the head on accident, because he knows how to control a football," he mumbled.

Wait, does that mean he hit me on purpose, so he could talk to me?

"Well he must have awful aim, because he gave her a black eye, and made her faint. He is so good," I couldn't help but smile, but I was furious.

"Yeah, he knows know. If he could turn back time, he would take back everything, but you can't turn back time, can you?" He smiled, with his pearly white teeth.

"He got something right in his life for once," I smiled showing the bare minimal of my teeth.

"Yeah, well he hopes he can get something else right in his life," he said holding out his hand.

"Maybe," I said shaking his firm hand.

Lucas stood up, inching closer to me. I could feel his body heat rushing against my body as he dove in for a hug. The hug lasted around five seconds, but it felt like forever.

We pulled apart, but he kept his face close to mine, I could smell his minty fresh breath.

Our eyes locked and I fell deeply into his gorgeous brown eyes.

I could feel the sorrowfulness in his eyes while he kept getting closer to my face.

Then I knew exactly what was going to happen, we were going to kiss. I wanted to spit in his face, but there was no strength in me too.

Our lips touched, his were so soft like a baby's butt, but I didn't want it to end. My old best friend, kissing me, made things plain award.

He pulled away, grabbing his bag and looking at me in pure terror, and I know exactly how he felt.

Regretful.

"Well I-I have t-to go," he said grabbing his book bag and heading back to class.

'_I knew I should have spited in his face. That little-,' _before I could finish my thoughts, my brother, Gavin, walked in.

"So… I was walking into the office, I saw Lucas and waved, but he kept on walking, like I was going to hit him or something," Gavin said smilingly with his loving smile.

Whatever Gavin does, he is always the happy one. Even at our mother's funeral, he was happy. I think he was dropped on his head when he was a baby, so does everyone else in our family.

He's the tallest out of the four of us, peeking at 6"4', and is the only one with green eyes. He keeps his dirty blonde hair shaved, and has naturally tanned skin. Lucas loves working out, so the muscles he has could crush an anorexic with one finger.

I'm the exact opposite of Gavin. My height is 5'7" and my eyes are an ugly seawater color. My curly, brown hair hits right at my pale, broad shoulders. People say I am the "athletic type", because I used to dance and do gymnastics. I don't anymore, ever since my mom passed away.

The drive home was silent and awkward. I didn't want to tell Gavin what happened to make Lucas be that way and me so quiet.

Once we got home, I went straight up to my room, trying to stay away from Gavin's lingering thoughts.

I sat on my black and white zebra print comforter, staring at my very purple walls. I used to love this room, but that was the old, carless, free falling, me. Now I'm uptight, lonely, which mainly means one thing... Bitch…

My thoughts dwelled in the room I sat in. The room felt cold and I felt lifeless.

I lied my head on my purple plush pillow and let my tired eyes close.

"Ruthie!" I heard a guy voice yell.

"Ruthie! Wake up!" He said again. This time he was rocking my bed, and pulled the covers off of me.

"RUUUUUUUTTTTTHIIIIEEEE!" He obnoxiously yelled.

"Leave me alone," I mumbled putting my head underneath my pillow.

"Not until you tell me what happened at school today!" He said taking my pillow away, and I knew exactly who it was, Drew, my less than a year older than me, brother.

"Drew. I swear, if you take anything else away from me, you'll have to go around school with people asking you why you have a black eye!" I said sitting up, but keeping my eyes closed.

"Wow… You… Look…. Aw-Amazing!" He said chocking on his last words.

"Nice save. Now will you let me sleep? Please?" I put my head back down on my pillow less bed.

"No! You tell me what happened. I'm not leaving until I get an answer," he sat on the bed kicking his feet to make me bounce.

"Nothing happened! He accidently hit me in the head and then I blacked out and that was it." I didn't want to tell him about the kiss, because I knew exactly what he would do. Go kick some serious ass!

"Oh really? Because I heard some other things," he said nudging my arm.

"What? What did you hear?" I asked sitting up angrily, hoping it wasn't what I thought it would be about.

"Well-" he started to talk, but as soon as he opened his mouth, my other brother, Travis, stumbled in out of breath.

"Ruthie, you've got some explaining to do!" He said crossing his arms.

_'Shit'_


	2. Let it Slide

Let it Slide

I sat on my bed with my eyes closed hoping to not here the word 'kiss' and Lucas in the same sentence.

"Ruthie." Travis said sternly.

"What?" I innocently asked.

"Are you going to tell us what happened today or not?" Travis asked sitting at the end of my bed.

"Well I got hit in the head with a football, I blacked out, and I found myself in the nurses office. That's all that happened," I said confidently, but Travis and Drew knew that I was lying.

"So was the whole kissing thing before or after you blacked out?" Drew asked giggling with Travis.

"I-I don't know what you are talking about?" I said, but it came out as more of question form.

"Are you sure, because we have evidence, if you would like to see it," Travis said taking his phone out.

"WHAT?" I screamed at the top of my lungs.

"Valerie Burnn sent us the picture," Travis said holding out his phone with the picture of Lucas and me locking lips.

'_WTF! NO! Valerie Burnn? I hate her and I know she hates me, and I bet even more now! Why? Why did I kiss his luscious… Wait, did I just say luscious? Gah! I need to stop thinking of him as anything. That stupid ass that got me in this mess is the guy I have hated for about a year now! Ever since he didn't believe me that Valerie was cheating on him. Is this revenge? Or is this her trying to humiliate me like she has for the past year?' _My thoughts exploded in my head, it felt as if a massive ticking bomb was set off.

"Earth to Ruthie. Eaaaarrrttthhh toooo Ruuuuttttthhhhiiiiiiiieeeee," Drew said waving his hand in front of my face.

"Huh?" I asked in confusion.

"Did you black out again?" Drew asked laughing.

"No! I didn't black out! Why don't you two get out!" I said kicking my feet.

"You have to explain to us what happened before we can leave," Travis said lying on my feet.

"Fine! If you get off of my feet," I said trying to remain calm.

Travis sat up, giving my feet room to stretch, so I could talk.

"Well I figured out that Lucas meant to hit me with the football, but not in the head. I say he's just a bad QB, but that's my opinion," I laughed. "Then I woke up, and he was in the chair next to me with his face down, and I felt bad. I don't know why, but I did," I said trying to think of why I wasn't mad.

"So we started talking, and it felt like the old Lucas was back, but at the same time, the new obnoxious Lucas was there, flaunting his smile and body, like all football players do. Then all of a sudden his kissed me, and at that moment I didn't know what to do, but he left in terror, and I went back to hating that Son of a bi-biscuit eater!" I caught myself on the last words, so they wouldn't be mad at me, but I'm pretty sure they say it all the time.

"First off not all football players flaunt their bodies," Drew said flipping his hair out of his eyes.

Drew looked like a clone of Justin Bieber, which I hate, but all the girls love. The only difference is drew has more muscles, is like a foot taller, and has hazel eyes.

"Oh really?" I asked pulling off his $130 pair of sun glasses.

"She has a point," Travis said laughing.

"Dude! You need to back me up! What about bro's over hoes?" Drew asked standing up.

"Um. Drew did you just call me a hoe?" I asked with my teeth clenched.

"No! I didn't mean it like that. You're my sister and you're not a hoe. It's just an expression," He said backing up.

"You have an open mind and a mouth to match it, so can you please get out?" I was about done with Drew, but Travis wasn't as bad as Drew and I are to each other, we fight as if we were sisters.

"Yeah, maybe you should go," Travis added, pushing Drew through the door.

"Thanks," I happily said.

"I need to say one thing to you before I leave you alone. I believe you on this one and I'm going to let it slide if you want to forget about it, because I understand where you are coming from. The best thing I can tell you to is to not me mad at Lucas. He didn't know what to do. I'm saying that because he if my friend, I am saying it because you are my sister and you two were better friends than him and I ever were.

"I know he feels awful, and I know you hate him, but sometimes guys just let their feelings out in the wrong way as do some girls. Just let things fall into place."He went on his banter for another minute, but I dose off to think about what he said about letting things fall into place.

_Should I just let it slide? Or should I go up to Lucas and smack him across the face?_

"Do you understand?" Travis asked looking into my eyes.

"Yeah, I guess." I said not so convincing.

"I'm serious." He walked towards the door

"I know." I placed my head on my purple, plush pillow.

I wish it was Saturday, but it was Friday, and yesterday was **one **of the worst days of my life, it made the top 10.

School was going to be awful, I just knew. Speaking of school, last night I had a dream that I forgot to wear any pants to school, so I walked around in my underwear, and everyone laughed at me.

Before I left with Drew and Travis to school, I made sure I had on pants. They were my favorite pair of shorts. I cut them from my favorite pair of jeans that had paint all over the bottom half, so I cut them to make them just a little over finger tip length.

I wanted to make sure that if people were going to stare or talk about me, I might as well look decent, so I found my lucky light pink shirt, and threw on a pair of black ballet flats and a black cashmere scarf.

"Ruthie," Drew said quietly.

"Yeah Drew?" I rudely asked.

"I'm sorry about last night. I didn't mean anything about what I said," he bashfully said.

"It's fine. You've said worse." I smiled looking back at him.

"Yeah, I know, and if anyone says anything to you, I will beat their ass!" He yelled pumping his fist in the air.

"Whatever, Drew." I giggled to myself, but abruptly stopped, because when we arrived people were staring.

_'Maybe they are starring at your bruised face and black eye,' I thought to myself._

Who was I kidding?

People were talking, starring, and talking.

"This is so wonderful," I said under my breath.

Travis hugged my shoulder. "It will be okay."

Yeah, okay for you. He wasn't the one who had to deal with everyone and Lucas.

When I went to my locker everyone was staring at me, and I stuck my head into my locker letting out a big sigh.

"Don't let her get to you. She just likes feeling superior, and that's why she always makes you inferior," a guy standing next to me said looking into his locker.

"I am trying, but people keep looking at me and it feels like I'm being watched every move I make," I said looking around.

"They are probably talking about how gorgeous that black eye of yours looks." He laughed to himself.

"Hey!" I pushed his scrawny arm.

He flipped his light brown, wavy hair out of his face.

"That's so not nice!" He said poking my right shoulder. When he smiled, I felt as if I was melting, and when he looked me in the eyes with his baby blue eyes, I couldn't help but smile.

"I'm-" I cut him off, before he could finish his sentence.

"Austin Burnn," I said smiling.

I don't think Austin could remember, but in 5th grade I had the biggest crush on him, because of his eyes, but when I got to high school, things changed. I wasn't the innocent girl I used to be. I never did anything bad; I just made fun of people, like Valerie is doing to me. I dyed my hair blonde freshman year, and I was at the top of the social standings.

I had everything I could imagine, but never a boy friend, because I thought they were a waste. I had straight A's, I was head cheerleader and dance team captain. I was in choir and no one thought of me as a dork. I made fun of people who were less than me and I took things for granted, but my life changed at the end of freshman year.

My mom was diagnosed with cancer that spread throughout her whole body. She didn't have long to live, but I did whatever I could to take care of her.

"Yeah and you are Ruthie Allen. I think everyone knows that." He smiled shaking my hand.

"Don't get too close to her. She might want to kiss you. She already kissed your sister's ex, what would your sister do if you kissed her?" A kid named Jackson yelled at Austin from across the hall.

"Don't listen to him. I'm not going to kiss you, I'm not looking for anything, just want to make some friends, and yesterday, I regretted it, and it wasn't _my _entire fault." I said a mouthful, and he started laughing.

"I know. I don't believe half the things Val says, and the other half are kind of iffy. I will be your friend." He put his hand out.

"Thanks." I shook his hand again.

We smiled at each other and talked for a few minutes before the 5 minute warning bell went off.

I thought this day was going to be awful, but maybe it won't be after all.


	3. Anything but Ordinary

**A/N: Hey guys I hope you like this chapter. There will be more coming soon, but I have been so busy with school and stuff like that. I own all characters in this story. So please review this story! Thanks.**

Anything but Ordinary

"You have Mrs. Dobbs first period?" I asked with a dumbstruck face.

"Yeah," Austin said giving me that 'Are you stupid' look.

"I usually space off in this class, because it's English," I nonchalantly said trying to save myself. The truth was I really didn't care about this class, because it was an easy A. I have read all the books we are reading before.

"I understand." He laughed sitting in the seat directly behind me. Now I feel like a total idiot. The poor guy sat right behind me and I never looked at him or knew that he was in my class. I wonder if he would still talk to me.

The two minutes bell rang and I started looking for my yellow highlighter I always had out, and when I found it, Austin kicked my desk.

"What was that for?" I asked whispering. He nodded at me and I turned to the door.

Lucas was standing in the doorway looking all distressed.

"Shiiiiiiiiiit," I whispered under my breath. I forgot that Lucas was in my class too. I really need to start paying more attention.

Lucas sat down looking at no one. The good thing for him is that he sat in the back of the class, next to the windows. If I sat where he did all I would do is look at the leaves, because it was fall and the leaves started changing colors.

The bell rang and as usual Mrs. Dobs came in five minutes late.

"Okay class. I have put you all into groups of three to talk about what differences there are between the book and movie of, _To Kill a Mocking Bird." _I sighed as she said those words.

She went on through the groups and I still didn't hear my name.

"Last group is, Ruthie Allen, Austin Burnn, and Lucas Baker." When she said Lucas's name, I felt my heart fall.

I didn't want to see Lucas let alone talk to him about difference between a book and a movie.

Austin was laughing his pretty little head off when he heard all of our names. I turned around and glared at him hoping he would stop. When I turned around I could see that everyone was giggling to themselves.

Austin and I stayed in our seats while Lucas dragged himself over to us.

"Let's get started," I cold heartedly said.

I could feel people's eyes glued onto everything I did.

We sat in silence the whole time, while I wrote down everything I could think of, and passed it on so the other two could ass more. It was brilliant, because it wasn't going to be as awkward as talking.

Instead of getting the difference paper, I got a note from Lucas, and might I say his hand writing is awful.

Hey Ruthie.

I know I am acting weird, but I can't stop thinking about what I did yesterday. Can we talk sometime soon?

I looked at the note, tracing every word with my finger. I didn't know what to write. I just looked at it, trying to think of something to say.

To be honest, it wasn't your entire fault. I kissed you back, so you can't blame yourself. I have to go help at my Aunt's dance studio after school, unless you want to stop by there and talk, but I don't think there is anything to talk about.

When he got the note back, he sighed.

That's fine. How about I stop bye around 4:30?

He slid the note onto my desk making sure no one was looking.

FINE.

I honestly had nothing to say to him, but if he wants to talk, I guess I could spare him his feelings.

Before he could hand me the paper back, the bell rang for us to go to second period, I was wondering why class ended 15 minutes early, but then I remembered there was a pep rally for the football team at the end of the school day. Oh joy!

The day passed with excruciating looks from one person to the next. They all would whisper, point, and laugh. In my mind I was calling them every name in the book, but on the outside I smiled and pretended that none of this bothered me. It did, but they didn't need to know that.

When it came time for the pep rally, I sat in the back, so it would be harder for people to stare and talk about me, boy was I wrong.

"Lucas Baker!" The announcer excitingly yelled. "Our Star QB!"

I kept my eyes down looking at my cell phone, knowing people would look at me.

Then the announcer called out Austin's name and everyone started screaming, he did a round off back handspring into a back tuck. He was the only guy on the foot ball team who could do anything like that, and he loved showing off.

He saw me laughing and gave me thumbs up. I stood there mortified, because the second he did that his sister (who was a cheerleader) saw him put his thumbs up to me. Her face turned red as she stomped out of the gym.

I wanted to run after her, but I couldn't. It was like my feet were glued to the stands. The pep rally went on, without Valerie anywhere to be found.

After the pep rally I walked straight to my car, keeping my face covered with my hoodie.

"Ruthie!" A familiar voice yelled.

I turned around looking for who it was. As I turned back to my car, someone grabbed my arm, pulling me to the side of my car.

"What the hell are you doing?" I asked confusingly asked.

"Valarie… She's left … Without me…" Austin said trying to gasp for air.

"It's my fault. I should have never talked to you when you talked to me. She hates me even more now," I said covering my face.

"Yeah! God Ruthie, why did you HAVE to talk to me?" He asked jokingly.

I didn't want to move. I knew he was joking, but it felt so true. It felt as f I have betrayed the whole world, and the one girl who can make my life a living hell, and she already has.

"Come on! Cheer up! She will get over herself. She thinks that I like you as more than a friend, but I know you don't feel that way, so I won't either. We are just looking for friendship." Austin pulled my hands away from my face smiling.

"I supposedly stole her boyfriend, now I am stealing her twin brother," I said sighing.

"They broke up three days ago, she just said that so they would feel sorry for her, and think of you as a slut." He took my hands pulling me up.

"That makes since now! No wonder he hit me with a football, he was trying to tell me that they broke up. I'm sorry, but your sister is a bi-ghdsghkds!" I caught myself on my last words.

"Nice use of words," he said smiling.

"Whatever, so why are you over here anyways?" I asked trying to push him away from me.

"I need a ride to my house, and since we live in the same neighborhood I thought you could," He said with a puppy dog face.

"I didn't drive to school, you would have to ask my brothers," I said.

"I already did. They were going to go out with some friends before tonight, so they told me to give you the keys." He handed me the keys to my brother's Black Convertible Mustang. I hated driving this car, because it was to flamboyant for me.

"What the hell? My life is so weird." I sighed while sliding into the Mustang.


End file.
